Teruko Nakagami Bio: Facts About Billy Dee Williams' Wife

Teruko Nakagami Bio: Facts About Billy Dee Williams’ Wife

In the world of Hollywood, various celebrities and stars shine in different ways. Some shine brighter than others.

There are circumstances in which the whole family of a particular celebrity gets to shine, while there are other situations in which only a member of the family gets to be in the limelight.

A good example of the latter is the family of Billy Dee Williams, an actor famous for his iconic roles in various movies, including “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” and “Lady Sings the Blues”.

Billy Dee Williams is one of the iconic actors that Hollywood has given us; however, not much is known or said about his wife, Teruko Nakagami.

In this article, we will delve into the life of Teruko Nakagami and gain insight into her life beyond the public eye.

Table of Contents

Teruko Nakagami’s Age

Teruko Nakagami was born in 1946 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The exact date of her birth is not publicly available; however, as of 2025, she is speculated to be 79 years old.

She was a girl who was privileged to be born into a family with a rich heritage. Her parents were of two different cultures. Her mother was Japanese, while her father was African-American.

As a result of this mixture of cultures, she was influenced in various ways throughout her upbringing as she learned the cultures and norms of both Japanese and American cultures.

When she was six years old, she and her twin sister were taken to a Jaoanese-American Internment camp during the Second World War.

Teruko Nakagami and Billy Dee Williams

The marriage between Billy and Nakagami served as a propellant that brought Nakagami into the spotlight.

Even though the change in her status from a regular woman to the wife of a celebrity seemed overwhelming, she made sure her life and that of her family were not affected. She made sure to prioritise her role as a wife and supporter of her husband as her primary duty.

She was always providing support for her husband in every way possible. She understood that she was a very busy person. Therefore, she took her time to care for the children and manage the home while her husband pursued different roles in various movies.

The support from Teruko helped Billy endure the hardships associated with his job, as he knew he had a stable home to rely on if anything happened.

Struggles and Reunion

After spending over twenty years together, Billy and Teruko separated in the year 1993. Even though they were not together at this time, they did not get a divorce.

They were still legally married and remained on good terms until 1997 when they reconciled and resolved their family issues.

Teruko Nakagami’s Personal Life

Billy and Nakagami also had another child together named Corey. Corey decided to become an actor, just like his father, and he successfully achieved his goal.

He followed in his father’s footsteps, and as a result, he became both a stuntman and an actor. Just like his father, Corey was able to achieve his future goals.

This achievement that Corey was able to make helps to give us an insight into the kind of environment that Billy and Nakagami built around their children.

This environment helped propel them to pursue their goals with passion and set their minds to achieve anything they wanted. This is a creative legacy that is worthy of emulation.

Teruko Nakagami’s Marriage

Teruko’s first marriage took place in 1961 when she tied the knot with Wayne Shorter, a popular jazz saxophonist at the time. After a few months together, they gave birth to Miyako, who was their first daughter.

Unfortunately, Teruko and Wayne’s marriage was short-lived. Nevertheless, Teruko didn’t let these adverse circumstances deter her from raising her daughter with love.

After being a single mother for a few years, Teruko met Billy Dee Williams in the early 1970s, and they formed an instant connection. On December 27, 1972, they got married, and in the following year, they welcomed a bouncing baby girl named Hanako Williams.

Hanako is currently interested in the arts and manages various art galleries in Los Angeles.